Melissa was a Veterinary Intern for 3 months in 2015, she was 20 years old during her internship.
This review was published on Abroad Reviews by her August 4, 2015.
“I first encountered GLV after searching online for pre-veterinary internships abroad. Even after doing some preliminary research about GLV, I could tell that the organization was a reliable one. When Janina emailed me to let me know of my acceptance into the Veterinary Internship program, she was very welcoming and polite. In the months leading up to my internship, Janina made sure to check in on me frequently, she patiently answered all of my questions, and she very conveniently arranged for important logistics, like placing me with a host family and reserving a hostel for my overnight stay in San Jose. I am very grateful for all of her help early on, especially when we had to make last minute changes due to a flight cancellation! Janina’s enthusiastic support and flexible personality marked her from the beginning as a fantastic supervisor and program coordinator.
The internship itself was everything that I could possibly hope for. Getting hands-on veterinary experience is a crucial part of the pre-vet curriculum in the U.S., and I certainly was involved in everything from surgical procedures to reading lab work results to providing routine physical examinations. It’s probably worth pointing out that I had two years of observational experience at veterinary clinics prior to this internship, which made my work at the Clinica Veterinaria Tico Pet #2 much easier. It also helped that I have a good grasp of the Spanish language – the veterinarian and his employees speak only minimal Spanish, so I would not recommend this program for someone who has no Spanish language background. That being said, the doctor was extremely patient in helping me expand my medical vocabulary. He taught me how to perform all of the necessary procedures, and he supervised/double-checked everything I did.
I had such a fun time during my GLV internship, that it was really painful for me to leave at the end of the summer. I spent nearly three months in the beautiful small town of Puerto Jimenez, and it was hands down the best time of my life. I met so many great people through Janina and the vet clinic, I had a fabulous time living with my caring host family, and I learned an unbelievable amount about veterinary medicine at work! Thanks Janina, for helping make this such an incredible experience!! I’ve already decided that once I graduate from vet school, I’m coming back!!”
